Clothing measuring method and apparatus



y 1968 J. J. XENAKIS CLOTHING MEASURING METHOD AND APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 22, 1964 Film deml Transparenf Jcreen,

hone Camb j Al IN V EN TOR. James J Xena/(1's y 21, 1958 J. J. XENAKIS 3,383,770

CLOTHING MEASURING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Jan. 22, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

James J Xena/(As United States Patent 3,383,770 CLOTHING MEASURING METHOD AND APPARATUS James J. Xenakis, 2 Princess Lane, Eatontown, NJ. @7724 Filed Jan. 22, 1964, Ser. No. 339,563 4 Claims. (Cl. 33-2) The invention disclosed herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The invention relates to methods and apparatus for quickly determining the garment size required for a person being fitted for articles of apparel without actually measuring him. The military establishment is faced with fitting with uniforms an endless stream of recruits in all branches of the several services. A large number of stock sizes are kept on hand and most recruits can be outfitted from these with a minimum of alterations. However, to determine which of these stock sizes will provide the best fit on any selected recruit, it is necessary to actually measure him in a traditional manner. This, of course, is time consuming and requires the filling out of lengthy forms all of which adds to the expense involved.

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for quickly ascertaining which of a number of different sized articles of apparel will most nearly fit the person being fitted.

A further object is to provide an improved method and apparatus for selecting the proper sized articles of apparel for a given person which includes visually comparing outlines of a person or body portions of a person of known size with the profiles or silhouettes of the person being fitted by arranging the outlines concentrically of the profiles or silhouettes of the individual. Thereafter, when the outline most nearly coinciding with the silhouette of the individual is found a note is made of the garment size it represents. This can be continued until the correct sizes for a number of garments are ascertained.

Other objects and advantages reside in the specific structure of the apparatus, the structure of the several elements of the same, combinations and subcombinations of such elements with each other and/or with the profile of the individual and in the several methods of operation, all of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the attached drawing in connection with the following specification wherein the invention is shown, described and claimed.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational semidiagrammatic view illustrating one method and apparatus for carrying out the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a like view of a second method and apparatus for performing the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a frontal view of a screen showing one profile of an individual projected thereon together with an outline of a person of known size;

FIGURE 4 is a like view showing the other profile and outline of the individual and the other person;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary front view of a film strip on which the outlines of the persons of known size may be mounted.

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic plan view of a further modification of the invention; and

FIGURE 7 is a like view of a still further modification.

Referring specifically to the drawing wherein like ref erence characters designate like parts in all views, and referring at first to the method and apparatus illustrate. in FIGURE 1, 10 designates any suitable translucent screen which is mounted in a vertical position on any ice suitable fiat base or floor 11 by any suitable means, not shown. Screen 10 is taller and wider than any ordinary human male so as to accommodate individuals of all normal sizes. An electroluminescent panel 12 of similar size to the panel 10 is mounted on base 11 in rearwardly spaced and aligned relation to such panel 10. A screen 13 of horizontal honeycomb structure is secured to the face of the luminescent panel 12 so as to collimate light therefrom onto the rear of the translucent panel 10. Luminescent screen 12 is of well known form and is lighted by any suitable electric means from any suitable power source, not shown. The honeycomb or like screen 13 should be about four inches in thickness. It is rearwardly spaced from the rear surface of the translucent screen 10 a distance sufficient to permit the largest normal person to stand therebetween in cilher a sideways or a forwardly facing position. It is within the concept of the invention that the assembly of luminescent panel 12 and screen 13 may be movably mounted for adjustment toward and away from the translucent panel 10 to provide a close fit with the individual 14 being fitted. In any event when an individual 34 stands between the panels and the luminescent panel 12 is illuminated. his silhouette or profile 15, FIGURE 3, or 16, FIGURE 4, is projected on the back of the translucent panel 19 so as to appear in full size on the front of such panel.

Any suitable projecting means such as the film strip projector 17 is mounted in front of the translucent panel 10. A film strip 18, fragmentarily shown in FIGURE 5, is in the projector 17 for projection onto panel 10. In the embodiment illustrated, the strip 18 comprises pairs of frames each bearing an outline 19 or 20 representing the front and side outlines of a person of known size, say a 42 size subject. Adjacent frames could illustrate like outlines of the next larger and next smaller person of known size. The distance the projector 17 is located from the panel it) is such that the outlines 19, 29, 21, 22 and so on, appear thereon in life size. Thus, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the outlines i9 and 2t) appear to have a reasona ly close fit on the profiles 15 and 16 but are slightly larger. Thus, the operator would try the next smaller outline 21 to see if it is more suitable. If so, a note is made of the outline 21 and the size garment it represents. The same procedure is followed in measuring for trousers, underwear, shirts and possibly even headgear although that last is a size which most indviduals already know because it is not subject to change like such variables as waist lines and hip sizes.

In the method and apparatus of FIGURE 2, the projector and film strip may remain the same but the luminescent panel I2 and its screen 13 are eliminated. Instead, the individual stand-s silhouetted against a suitable vertical panel 23, preferably one of light color. The frames of the film strip are projected as before and are readily viewed in concentric relation to the individual. This is a simpler and less expensive structure and method.

In the embodiments of FIGURES 6- and 7, the species of FIGURES 1 and 2 have been modified to provide methods and apparatuses whereby both profiles of the subject being fitted are silhouetted simultaneously while a pair of projectors or the like apply to the silhouettes outlined in corresponding elevation of persons of known and different sizes and shapes. These methods can more than halve the time necessary to obtain the proper sizes of the subject and enable two operators to process more than double the number of subjects in a given time.

Thus, in the species of FIGURE 6, a pair of electroluminescent panels 24 and 25 are arranged in cooperative relation at right angles to each other and have any suitable collimating screens 26 and 27 fixed thereto forwardly thereof. Light rays from panels 24 and 25 are projected onto the rear surfaces of a pair of translucent panels 23 and 29 disposed in spaced and parallel relation which may be conveniently secured to their collimatin-g screens in any suitable manner as by the hinges 30, 31. This arrangement permits the translucent screens 28, 29 to serve as doors to permit the subject S to enter and leave the booth formed by the four panels. This arrangement simultaneously projects the frontal and side silhouettes or profiles of the subject S onto the forward surfaces of the translucent panels 28 and 29. A pair of projectors 32, 33 simultaneously project successions of contours or outlines of persons or body portions of known size and shape onto the front surfaces of the screens 28, 29 in concentric relation to the silhouettes until those outlines most nearly conforming to the silhouettes are found.

The species of FIGURE 7 includes a pair of panels 34, 35 which are fixed together at right angles so that the two profiles of the subject S are centered thereon. The two projectors 32 and 33 now may project simultaneously successions of contours or outlines of persons of known sizes and shapes as in the species of FIGURE 2. Here again, although two operators must be used, the time consumed is more than halved because there is no delay in switching from frontal outline slides or film strips to side elevational illustrations.

Although a specific projecting means has been shown, it is obvious that a slide projector could be used as well using twin slides to mount the pairs of profiles as outlines at 19, 20, etc. Also, twin lens on a projector could each utilize a separate film strip with one strip showing nothing but front outlines and other only side outlines. Obviously other arrangements will occur to those skilled in the art.

Therefore, while there has been shown and described what are now thought to be the preferred embodiments of the method and apparatus, it should be understood that the invention is susceptible of still other forms and expressions. Consequently, the invention is not considered to be limited to the structures and methods described hereinabove except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for fitting a subject for an article of apparel, comprising a translucent screen having first and second surfaces, :1 luminescent panel in spaced relation to said first surface of said screen and in alignment therewith, a honeycomb screen on said luminescent panel between the same and said first surface of said translucent screen and adapted to collimate light from said panel onto said translucent screen at an angle normal thereto,

there being sutficient space between said honeycomb screen and said translucent screen to accommodate said subject whereby his full sized silhouette is projected onto said first surface of said translucent screen so as to be visible on said second surface thereof, a succession of life size outlines of persons of various known sizes and shapes, means facing said second surface of said translucent screen for projecting a succession of said outlines thereonto in concentric relation to said silhouette whereby to locate that outline which most nearly corresponds to said silhouette, and each outline calling for an article of apparel of a different known size.

2. Apparatus for fitting a subject for an article of apparel, comprising a pair of translucent screens positioned at right angles to each other having inner and outer surfaces, a pair of luminescent panels, said panels each being disposed in spaced parallel relation to one of said screens, light collimating means associated with each panel so as to project light therefrom onto said rear surfaces of said screens in directions normal thereto, said panels being adapted to project simultaneously frontal and side silhouettes of a subject centered between both pairs of panels and screens onto said rear surfaces of said screens so as to be visible on said front surfaces thereof, and means facing said front surfaces of said screens for projecting onto said front surfaces of said screens successions of life size outlines in frontal and side elevation of persons of different sizes and shapes in concentric relation to the corresponding silhouettes until outlines most nearly corresponding to such silhouettes are found.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, there being hinge means hingedly connecting each panel to a screen.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each pair of said connected panels and screens is adapted to be arranged with the other pair to form a square booth.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,937,433 11/1933 Moe 33-17 2,061,378 11/1936 Henze et al. 8824 2,159,035 5/1939 McGrath 33-2 2,631,374 3/1953 Purdy 332 2,765,704 10/1956 Mottu 8824 2,830,174 4/1958 Gagnier 24046.39

LEONARD FORMAN, Primary Examiner.

L. ANDERSON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR FITTING A SUBJECT FOR AN ARTICLE OF APPAREL, COMPRISING A TRANSLUCENT SCREEN HAVING FIRST AND SECOND SURFACES, A LUMINESCENT IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID FIRST SURFACE OF SAID SCREEN AND IN ALIGNMENT THEREWITH, A HONEYCOMB SCREEN ON SAID LUMINESCENT PANEL BETWEEN THE SAME AND SAID FIRST SURFACE OF SAID TRANSLUCENT SCREEN AND ADAPTED TO COLLIMATE LIGHT FROM SAID PANEL ONTO SAID TRANSLUCENT SCREEN AT AN ANGLE NORMAL THERETO, THERE BEING SUFFICIENT SPACE BETWEEN SAID HONEYCOMB SCREEN AND SAID TRANSLUCENT SCREEN TO ACCOMMODATE SAID SUBJECT WHEREBY HIS FULL SIZED SILHOUETTE IS PROJECTED ONTO SAID FIRST SURFACE OF SAID TRANSLUCENT SCREEN SO AS TO BE VISIBLE ON SAID SECOND SURFACE THEREOF, A SUCCESSION OF LIFE SIZE OUTLINES OF PERSONS OF VARIOUS KNOWN SIZES AND SHAPES, MEANS FACING SAID SECOND SURFACE OF SAID TRANSLUCENT SCREEN FOR PROJECTING A SUCCESSION OF SAID OUTLINES THEREONTO IN CONCENTRIC RELATION TO SAID SILHOUETTE WHEREBY TO LOCATE THAT OUTLINE WHICH MOST NEARLY CORRESPONDS TO SAID SILHOUETTE, AND EACH OUTLINE CALLING FOR AN ARTICLE OF APPEAL OF A DIFFERENT KNOWN SIZE. 